Sand-barge.



G. 0. WEST.

SAND BARGE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT.9.1912.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. 0. WEST.

SAND BARGE.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0. FHOTO-LITHQ, WASHING rON, D c.

SAND-BARGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed October 9, 1912. Serial N 0. 724,752.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. West, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Manitowoc, in the county of Manitowoc and State of 'Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sand- Barges, of which the following is a specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

My present invention relates generally to an improved method of unloading barges, or the like, engaged in the transportation and handling of sand and similar material,

'and more particularly to improved conveying and unloading apparatus in connection therewith.

One of the principal objects of my invention is the provision of novel means by which sand dumped into a hopper may be quickly unloaded in a practically dry condition. Another object of my invention Is to provide improved means adapted to supply liquid to a hopper as a carrying medium to convey sand to a point of localization for unloading.

A further object is the provision of novel apparatus by means of which the carrying medium is quickly separated from the sand, the former being returned to the hopper for re-utilization, and the latter conditioned for economical handling and prompt unloading to a dock or elsewhere.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or are incident to my invention I attain by means of a construction illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein z- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a barge employing my invention.

igure 2 is a transverse section of Flgure 1 on the line IIII.

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing my improved separator as applied to a barge.

F lgure 4; is a slight modification of the separator illustrated in Figure 3.

Broadly stated, this invention comprises'a novel apparatus adapted; first, to apply a carrying medium, as water, to sand 1n hoppers in such a manner that the sand near outlets therein will be sufiiciently saturated to gravitate freely to a suitably situated conveyer; second, to provide cooperating means in this connection to effectually prevent clogging of such conveyer and also to malntam an even level of sand flow in the hopper;

third, to separate the water from the sand, leaving the sand in a comparatively dry state and so localized and situated that it can be quickly handled by ordinary unloadmg means and conveyed to a dock, or elsewhere; fourth, to return the water with little or no loss to the remaining sand in the hopper for further and continued use as a carrying medium.

In carrying out my invention as illustrated in the preferred manner, I provide a barge 5 having a hopper 6 whose sides 7 are inclined inwardly toward the central bottom portion 8. Positioned longitudinally beneath the hopper is a main conduit or conveyer 9 communicating with outlet openings 10 in the hopper through connectin pipes 11, which openings are convenient y arranged to tap the load at all necessary points.

The letter A indicates a pump connected to a supply pipe 12 which extends through the hull of the barge as at 5*, said pump being further connected to a main water pipe 14 by means of a connection 15. The main water pipe 14 extends longitudinally below and above the load to form a lower extension 16 and an upper extension 17 respectively, the lower extension 16 being positioned adjacent the main conveyer 9 and connected thereto at intervals by means of the pipe connections 18 shown preferably slanting in a direction away from the pump A, and is further provided at points intermediate its length with branch pipes 19 which project into the hopper through the central portion and adjacent each of the outlet openings 10, the pipes being preferably controlled by valves 19*. The upper extension 17 of the pipe 14 is suitably perforated throughout its length for the application of ajet stream upon the level of the load in the hopper when desired.

he main conveyer 9 is also provided with o projects into a separator, ,r

a pump 13 by any suitable means and Communicating with the upper porti'onof the tank is a return pipe 24: preferably having a bifurcated lower end as at 24: in close proximity to the hopper, the other end of the pipe being within the tank and provided with an enlarged portion or receiving opening 24 as shown in Figure 3, or as -disclosed in a modified form in Figure 4:.

The preferred arrangement of a plurality of conveyer, water, and branch pipes is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, 1 though it is apparent that any similar embodiment such =asa system. of

piping employing onlyone or more of each of these members, or any variation thereof, is deemed within the scope 'ofthis invention aspointed out in the appended claims.

thei'more started up forcing water from. the supply "edif desired by pipe 1:2 through the connection 15' to the main water pipe 14% and into its-extensions 16'and 17. The branch pipes ,19ahave their nozzles directing a'jet toward the sand at thezoutlet openings 10,;sothat the sand-' becoming semi-liquid gravitates into the i-main :conveyer 9 through the connections 11.

The'perforated extension 17 located approximately above the loadmayEbe supporttheends of the hopper, or if the hopper is divided into two or more bills by partitions, other, or additional, means of support to thiscextensioneis arforded as shown in Figure .lat 6 The waterpas'sing through the perforationsipermit an accumulation of water on' top of the load tending to obtain movement of' the sandito -an even level in the hoppers.

The suction= pump 13 being then put :into operation, the resultant mixture flows from the chopper outlets through the .pipe'rconnections 11 to the conveyerz'and is drawn -up through the pipe 20 into'the tank '21 1n the e sand 1 setthe contracted which-the mixture separates, tling and passing through -opening 21 in a comparativelydry statean'd like,

is carried away by' a belt conveyer, ortho to a dock or elsewhere. The wateriin the tank isreturned for re-use by the overflow pipe 94:, the bifurcated end of lWlIl'Gh isparticularlyadapted for use when the bins as will :be: read- :In order to .;absolutely tendencyof themixture to clog ily understood. eliminate any,

the main conveyer 9, it is apparent that the suction'developed therein will induce a continuous supply of-liquidfrom themain'watei PiPe1 l at 9* and also from the extension 16 through the series of'inclined pipes 18 "to flush this passage. It is obvious that when thepump A has created a supply of liquid in 'the suction pipe or conveyer 9 and -the sandab the-outlets has become semifluid, a continuous head over the suction of the pump B is wflfEOlClBfl. If desired the 5191111113 may be stoppedlany time after the commencement of the liow of water into the hopper from the returnpipe 24, as the op-.

eration has; reached '21 stage where the Water can-be utilized vover and over again, as the addition ofthe overflow zkeeps the-sand sufficiently fluid for-its removal'by the'suction pump B. Ihis is one of theimportant features :'Of my invention.

This 'D'IQ thOd- 'Qf separating the resultant mixture--4by-means of my improved apparatus,and localizing the sand where it can be readily handled-and quickly conveyed in a comparatively dry :state to any required 190 place of deposit, is a great advantage over existing-unloading facilities. The methods 1 commonlyufsednecessitateunloadingdirectly ifrom the hoppers or "bins bywa flight of buckets involving constant change of posi-' tion and shifting of mechanism; or in v pumping directly from the bins, having the usIial 'percentage of addedwater, it has been found difficult to maintain a constant head over the suction pump, and the mixture when unloaded on a dock still retains its .fiuidity and is consequently difiicult to handle.

"Myi-mproved means-permits rapid un- 1 loa dingiefthe material and eliminates many disadvantages of other-types of apparatus. The inclined sides of-the hopper'facilitate downward movement ofthe material/toward -the-outletopenings There are no involved parts: to .get out of order, apipingaand connections'are :out of the way and still are readilyaccessible. The entire uapparatus is {simple-inconstruction and its operation is: economical, rapid, and efficient.

It is not my intention to restrict myself to the exact embodiment as shown in the preferred constru'etion as it is obvious that certain structural variations may be made, nWithOllt .wij-n any way 1 departing from the spirit and scope of pressed in the appended claims.

Having thus describedmy invention and illustrated its use, what lcclaim as new and desire 130' secure by Letters Patent is the fol- '.:lowing-:-

:1.":Assandxbargeihaving ia sand containing 1 hopper formed --r=w;ith a discharge :outlet in its :base, ma separating "receptacle wsuitably supportedi 'inith'e :bargezabove the plane Fof and most of the my invention as ex-" the'zhopp er outlet and provided withxan inlet 1 3 0 opening and a discharge opening located below the inlet, a suction conduit connecting the hopper outlet and the inlet of the receptacle, transfer means positioned with reference to said receptacle discharge opening to receive the sand for its conveyance to a distant point of deposit, and water supply means for insuring a flow of sand through the hopper outlet comprising a main water supply conduit having a branch pipe projecting into said hopper at a point contiguous to said outlet, said last mentioned means being adapted to operate independently of the suction conduit and separating receptacle.

2. A sand barge having a sand containing hopper formed with a plurality of intervaled discharge outlets, water supply means for insuring a flow of sand through the said outlets comprising a forcing device and a tubular connection extending therefrom to the outlets; a separating receptacle suitably supported in the barge above the plane of the outlets, a tubular connection between the outlets and the receptacle, and a suction device interposed in said last mentioned connection for producing a flow therein from the outlets to the receptacle, said forcing device being capable of operation independently of the suction device, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A sand barge having a sand containing hopper formed with a plurality of intervaled discharge outlets in its base, a main water supply pipe located lengthwise of said base and provided with branch pipes extending through said hopper base adjacent the outlets to insure a flow of the sand therethrough, a localizing receptacle suitably supported in the barge above the hopper and said outlets and provided with an inlet opening and a discharge opening located below the inlet, a suction conduit connecting the hopper outlets and the inlet of the receptacle and operating independently of the main supply pipe, and transfer means operatively positioned with reference to the receptacle discharge opening to receive the sand therefrom and convey the same to a distant point of deposit.

4. A sand barge having a sand containing hopper formed with a discharge outlet, water supply means for insuring a flow of sand through said outlet comprising a forcing device and a tubular connection leading therefrom to the outlet, a separating receptacle or reservoir located independently of said means and formed with an upper intake opening and a lower sand discharge outlet, suction means for conducting the mixture from the hopper outlet to the intake opening for its separation in the receptacle, an overflow pipe leading from the receptacle at a point adjacent the said intake opening, and

a sand transfer device located in position with reference to the outlet of the said receptacle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of the two subscribed witnesses.

CHARLES C. WEST. Witnesses M. H. ERIGKSON, W. HERBERT FowKEs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

